Mr. John Cusack, President of Gifford Park Associates and Executive Director of the NJ Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (NJHEPS), gave a presentation on “Helping Higher Education Integrate Sustainability into Campuses, Curricula & Communities” at the monthly meeting of the New York chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers, held at Columbia University. The presentation described NJHEPS’ activities to promote sustainable operations (including green energy and energy efficiency), curricula and communities at the 40+ New Jersey colleges and universities that are members of NJHEPS, as well as emerging sustainability trends and issues, such as climate change and GHG emissions reduction, that will affect New York-area colleges and universities.

In conjunction with the Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, Cazenovia College in upstate New York presented on 21 April 2006 Global Warming: From Crisis to Solutions, a symposium which sought to “explore ways to meet an increasing demand for energy while ensuring a sustainable environment for future generations.”

The symposium was an academic conference with the aim of presenting a comprehensive understanding of energy sources and the problem of global warming, and gaining insights into possible approaches without endorsing any products, technology or positions.

John Cusack, of Gifford Park Associates, was a featured speaker at the symposium, discussing specifically the role of banks and insurance companies in taking the initiative against climate change.